Virginia Ann Marolt

Funeral Mass for Virginia Ann Marolt, 85, of Gilbert, will be 11am Thursday Jan. 21, 2010 in St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Gilbert with Fr. Frank Perkovich as celebrant. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-7pm in Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert and will continue for one hour prior to mass at the church. Burial will be in the Gilbert Cemetery. Virginia died Sat. Jan. 16, 2010 in the Virginia Convalescent Care Center. She was born Sept. 26, 1924 in Babbitt, MN to Ole and Gertrude (Gahan) Saline. Virginia was a graduate of Gilbert High School and later married Louis Marolt on Apr. 26, 1947 in Gilbert. Virginia was a homemaker and a volunteer advocate for people with developmental disabilities for over 30 years. She served on many boards of directors, their committees and in official positions. Among them were: local, regional and state Special Olympics; the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities under Governor Quie and Governor Perpich. Others include the East Range Developmental Achievement Center, Moose Lake State Hospital, the Area Board on Mental Retardation and Mental Illness, the Minnesota Human Services Review Board for Intermediate Care Facilities for people with developmental disabilities; the committee to secure funding for training for direct care staff who worked with people with developmental disabilities, the advisory board to the Government Training Program who provided staff training, and the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission. Virginia received certificates of appreciation from Bishop Paul Anderson, Governor Quie and Governor Perpich. She received awards from ARC Minnesota, ARC Range Chapter, the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, Special Olympics and the Soroptomist’s. Survivors include her children: Billy (Sue Spilman) Marolt of Palo, Tom (Maureen) Marolt of St. Louis Park, Don (Carol) Marolt of Rochester, MN, Dave (Rose) Marolt of Gilbert and Beth (Victor) Bryson of Andover; six grandchildren: Ben Marolt, Torey Marolt, Annie Marolt, Joey Marolt, Sam Bryson and Max Bryson; numerous nieces and nephews. Virginia would especially like to thank Paul, LaVerne and Fran Marolt for their care and kindness thru the past years. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Louis; brother: Ray; sisters: Gertrude, Dorothy, Marion and Florence